Temperature protection switch structure bearing large current and socket

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of protection switches, in particular to a temperature protection switch structure bearing large current. Comprising a bimetallic strip, a first conductive terminal used for fixing the bimetallic strip, a second conductive terminal used as a switch input or output electrode, and a flexible conductive carrier which is bridged at two ends of the bimetallic strip and is used for bearing large current. One end of the bimetallic strip is in conduction connection with the first conductive terminal; the other end of the bimetallic strip abuts against the second conductive terminal and is connected with the second conductive terminal in a conduction mode. And the flexible conductive carrier is made of a high-conductivity flexible metal material. Through the low-resistance shunting characteristic of the flexible conductive carrier, the switch can stably bear large current, the overall heating value is low under the normal working condition, and the circuit conduction stability is high; the bimetallic strip does not need to undertake the main current-carrying task and only focuses on temperature sensing and deformation triggering, the protection action is accurate, the response is rapid, and the circuit potential safety hazard caused by socket overload and overheat contact between the plug bush and the plug piece can be effectively blocked.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of protective switch technology, specifically to a temperature protection switch structure and socket that can carry large currents. Background Technology

[0002] With the rapid development of new energy and smart home fields, the popularity of high-power electrical equipment such as air conditioners, electric water heaters and industrial equipment is increasing day by day. This has put forward the dual core requirements of stable high current carrying capacity and precise safety protection for the matching temperature protection switches and sockets. In conventional application scenarios, switches and sockets need to stably carry high current and at the same time have overload and overheat protection functions to block safety hazards such as fire and equipment burnout caused by circuit faults.

[0003] Currently, most temperature protection switches and sockets on the market use a single bimetallic strip structure, allowing the bimetallic strip to simultaneously perform the dual functions of current conduction and temperature sensing protection. Because the bimetallic strip is composed of two metals with different coefficients of thermal expansion, its conductivity is relatively poor. When carrying a large current, it generates a large amount of heat due to Joule heating. Even without overload or overheating faults, it is prone to false triggering at low temperatures. After prolonged switching, the bimetallic strip will also age rapidly due to continuous self-heating, leading to a shift in its thermal expansion characteristics, a drift in the protection threshold, and ultimately, a loss of protection function. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to overcome the above-mentioned shortcomings and provide a temperature protection switch structure and socket that can carry large currents.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the specific solution of the present invention is as follows: a temperature protection switch structure for carrying large current, comprising a bimetallic strip, a first conductive terminal for fixing the bimetallic strip, a second conductive terminal for serving as a switch input or output electrode, and a flexible conductive carrier for carrying large current connected across the two ends of the bimetallic strip. One end of the bimetallic strip is electrically connected to the first conductive terminal; the other end of the bimetallic strip is electrically connected to the second conductive terminal. The flexible conductive carrier is a highly conductive flexible metal material.

[0006] The present invention is further configured such that one end of the bimetallic strip is disposed between the first conductive terminal and one end of the flexible conductive carrier; and the other end of the bimetallic strip is disposed between the second conductive terminal and the other end of the flexible conductive carrier.

[0007] The present invention is further configured such that a conductive adhesive layer is provided between one end of the bimetallic sheet and the first conductive terminal.

[0008] The present invention is further configured such that a first conductive rivet is provided between one end of the bimetallic sheet and one end of the flexible conductive carrier; and a second conductive rivet is provided between the other end of the bimetallic sheet and the other end of the flexible conductive carrier.

[0009] The invention is further configured such that the second conductive rivet has a conductive head; the other end of the bimetallic strip abuts against the second conductive terminal through the conductive head of the second conductive rivet.

[0010] The present invention is further configured such that the bimetallic sheet has a sheet-like structure and the flexible conductive carrier has a strip-like structure.

[0011] The present invention is further configured such that the flexible conductive carrier is a silver-plated soft copper strip, copper foil, or a multi-strand tin-plated soft copper wire braided strip; the current carrying capacity of the flexible conductive carrier can be set according to the load requirements of the product.

[0012] A socket includes a socket body and a temperature protection switch structure for carrying high current; both the first conductive terminal and the second conductive terminal are disposed on the socket body; the socket body is provided with a normally-continuous terminal.

[0013] The present invention is further configured such that the first conductive terminal is provided with a switch input section; the normally open terminal is provided with a normally open input section; the switch input section and the normally open input section respectively protrude from both sides of the socket body.

[0014] The present invention is further configured such that the socket body is provided with a switch socket and a normally open socket; the second conductive terminal is provided with a switch output part at the switch socket; and the normally open terminal is provided with a normally open output part at the normally open socket.

[0015] The beneficial effects of this invention are: by utilizing the low-resistance shunt characteristics of the flexible conductive carrier, the switch can stably carry large currents, and under normal operating conditions, the overall heat generation is low, and the circuit conduction stability is strong; the bimetallic strip does not need to bear the main current-carrying task, but only focuses on temperature sensing and deformation triggering, so the protection action is accurate and the response is rapid, which can effectively block the circuit safety hazards caused by socket overload and overheating of the socket and the contact between the socket and the plate. Attached Figure Description

[0016] The invention will be further illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawings, but the embodiments in the drawings do not constitute any limitation on the invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the following drawings without any creative effort.

[0017] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the temperature protection switch of the present invention when it is turned on; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure when the temperature protection switch of the present invention is disconnected; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the socket of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a structural schematic diagram of the socket of the present invention from another perspective; Figure 5 This is a cross-sectional view of the socket of the present invention; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the socket of the present invention after the socket body is concealed; Wherein: 1. First conductive terminal; 11. Switch input section; 2. Second conductive terminal; 21. Switch output section; 3. Bimetallic strip; 4. Flexible conductive carrier; 51. First conductive rivet; 52. Second conductive rivet; 53. Conductive head; 6. Socket body; 61. Switch plug interface; 62. Normally open plug interface; 7. Normally open terminal; 71. Normally open input section; 72. Normally open output section. Detailed Implementation

[0018] To facilitate understanding of the present invention, a more complete description will be given below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Preferred embodiments of the invention are shown in the drawings. However, the invention can be implemented in many different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided to provide a thorough and complete understanding of the disclosure of the invention. It should be noted that when an element is referred to as being "fixed to" another element, it can be directly on the other element or there may be an intervening element. When an element is referred to as being "connected to" another element, it can be directly connected to the other element or there may be an intervening element. The terms "vertical," "horizontal," "left," "right," and similar expressions used herein are for illustrative purposes only.

[0019] like Figure 1-2 As shown, a temperature protection switch structure for carrying large current in this embodiment includes a bimetallic strip 3, a first conductive terminal 1 for fixing the bimetallic strip 3, a second conductive terminal 2 for serving as a switch input or output electrode, and a flexible conductive carrier 4 for carrying large current, which is connected across the two ends of the bimetallic strip 3. One end of the bimetallic strip 3 is electrically connected to the first conductive terminal 1; the other end of the bimetallic strip 3 is electrically connected to the second conductive terminal 2. The flexible conductive carrier 4 is a highly conductive flexible metal material.

[0020] In addition to fixing the bimetallic strip 3 and serving as an electrode for a switch, the first conductive terminal 1 can also be used as a temperature acquisition component in a relevant carrier that needs to be protected by temperature in practical applications.

[0021] Specifically, the high-current-carrying temperature protection switch structure described in this embodiment, by incorporating a bimetallic strip 3 and a flexible conductive carrier 4, can simultaneously achieve the functions of high current carrying and temperature protection. The resistance of the flexible conductive carrier 4 can be set to be less than the resistance of the bimetallic strip 3.

[0022] When the temperature and current are normal, during the circuit conduction phase, because the resistance of the flexible conductive carrier 4 is lower than that of the bimetallic strip 3, and because the bimetallic strip 3 and the flexible conductive carrier 4 are connected in parallel, the current in the parallel circuit preferentially flows through the low-resistance path. As a result, most of the current in the power supply circuit will be conducted through the flexible conductive carrier 4, and the bimetallic strip 3 will only bear a very small proportion of the current. This fundamentally avoids the problem of excessive self-heating caused by the high resistance of the bimetallic strip 3 under high current conditions, which could lead to false triggering of the protection.

[0023] During the temperature protection phase, the bimetallic strip 3, as the core temperature sensing element, is composed of two metals with significantly different coefficients of thermal expansion. When the circuit experiences an overload (total current exceeds the rated value, and the flexible conductive carrier 4 heats up rapidly) or the external environment becomes overheated, heat is transferred to the bimetallic strip 3 through the connection between the flexible conductive carrier 4 and the bimetallic strip 3, as well as the connection between the first conductive terminal 1 and the bimetallic strip 3, causing the temperature of the bimetallic strip 3 to rise rapidly. When the temperature of the bimetallic strip 3 reaches the set threshold, the bimetallic strip 3 bends in a specific direction due to the different expansion amplitudes of the two metal layers. The contact state between the other end of the bimetallic strip 3 and the second conductive terminal 2 is disrupted, and at the same time, the other end of the flexible conductive carrier 4 is simultaneously disengaged from the conductive path, ultimately cutting off the entire parallel circuit and achieving overload and overheat protection.

[0024] In this embodiment, the low-resistance shunt characteristics of the flexible conductive carrier 4 enable the switch to stably carry large currents, and the overall heat generation is low under normal operating conditions, resulting in strong circuit conduction stability. The bimetallic strip 3 does not need to undertake the main current-carrying task, but only focuses on temperature sensing and deformation triggering, so the protection action is accurate and the response is rapid, which can effectively block circuit safety hazards caused by overload and overheating.

[0025] In this embodiment, a temperature protection switch structure for carrying large current is provided, wherein one end of the bimetallic strip 3 is disposed between one end of the first conductive terminal 1 and one end of the flexible conductive carrier 4; and the other end of the bimetallic strip 3 is disposed between the second conductive terminal 2 and the other end of the flexible conductive carrier 4.

[0026] Specifically, when the circuit is turned on, the first conductive terminal 1, the bimetallic strip 3, the flexible conductive carrier 4, and the second conductive terminal 2 form a compact parallel conductive path, and the current can be stably conducted bidirectionally through the first conductive terminal 1-bimetallic strip 3-second conductive terminal 2 and the first conductive terminal 1-flexible conductive carrier 4-second conductive terminal 2. During the heat conduction stage, the bimetallic strip 3 is sandwiched between the first conductive terminal 1, the second conductive terminal 2, and the flexible conductive carrier 4, and can simultaneously receive the heat transferred from both sides, resulting in higher heating efficiency.

[0027] This embodiment describes a temperature protection switch structure for carrying high current. A conductive adhesive layer is provided between one end of the bimetallic strip 3 and the first conductive terminal 1; however, the conductive adhesive layer is not shown in the figure. The conductive adhesive layer possesses both electrical and thermal conductivity properties. When the circuit is conducting, it reduces the contact resistance between the bimetallic strip 3 and the first conductive terminal 1, preventing concentrated heat generation due to poor local contact. During heat conduction, the conductive adhesive layer has no air gaps, allowing heat from the first conductive terminal 1 to be directly transferred to the bimetallic strip 3, reducing heat conduction hysteresis. Simultaneously, the conductive adhesive layer has a certain degree of flexibility, which can buffer the mechanical stress generated when the bimetallic strip 3 deforms, preventing component fatigue damage caused by rigid connections.

[0028] This embodiment provides a temperature protection switch structure for carrying high current. A first conductive rivet 51 is provided between one end of the bimetallic strip 3 and one end of the flexible conductive carrier 4; a second conductive rivet 52 is provided between the other end of the bimetallic strip 3 and the other end of the flexible conductive carrier 4. When the circuit is conducting, the first conductive rivet 51 and the second conductive rivet 52 act as rigid conductive media, ensuring a stable connection between the bimetallic strip 3 and the flexible conductive carrier 4 and preventing poor conductivity due to displacement of the flexible carrier. Furthermore, when the bimetallic strip 3 heats up and deforms, the rigid connection between the first conductive rivet 51 and the second conductive rivet can transmit the deformation force, causing the flexible conductive carrier 4 to simultaneously detach from the second conductive terminal 2. Simultaneously, the first conductive rivet 51 and the second conductive rivet increase the contact area between the bimetallic strip 3 and the flexible conductive carrier 4, improving conductivity and enhancing heat transfer, allowing the heat from the flexible conductive carrier 4 to be quickly conducted to the bimetallic strip 3.

[0029] This embodiment provides a temperature protection switch structure for carrying high current. The second conductive rivet 52 is provided with a conductive head 53. The other end of the bimetallic strip 3 abuts against the second conductive terminal 2 through the conductive head 53 of the second conductive rivet 52. Specifically, the conductive head 53 adopts an arc-shaped or planar contact design, which increases the contact area between the bimetallic strip 3 and the second conductive terminal 2, reduces the contact resistance, and avoids heat generation caused by local current concentration. When the circuit is conducting, the conductive head 53 acts as a precise contact medium, ensuring that the abutment pressure between the bimetallic strip 3 and the second conductive terminal 2 is uniform, and the conduction stability is not affected by installation deviation. When the bimetallic strip 3 deforms, the contact between the conductive head 53 and the second conductive terminal 2 can be quickly separated, avoiding protection failure caused by adhesion, and reducing the generation of electric arc at the moment of separation.

[0030] This embodiment presents a temperature protection switch structure for carrying large currents, wherein the bimetallic strip 3 is a sheet-like structure, and the flexible conductive carrier 4 is a strip-like structure. Specifically, the sheet-like bimetallic strip 3 has a larger surface area, can simultaneously receive heat from multiple directions, has higher temperature sensing sensitivity, and the sheet-like structure has stronger deformation stability, avoiding deformation deviation; the length and width of the strip-like flexible conductive carrier are adapted to the sheet-like structure of the bimetallic strip 3, which not only improves conductivity but also ensures that the bimetallic strip 3 bends synchronously when deformed, reducing the risk of stretching or breakage; the combination of the two structural forms can achieve compact stacking without occupying additional space.

[0031] This embodiment describes a temperature protection switch structure for carrying large currents. The flexible conductive carrier 4 is a silver-plated soft copper strip, copper foil, or a multi-strand tin-plated soft copper wire braided strip. The current carrying capacity of the flexible conductive carrier can be set according to the product's load requirements. The cross-sectional area of ​​the flexible conductive carrier 4 is greater than 2 square millimeters. Specifically, the silver-plated soft copper strip, copper foil, and multi-strand tin-plated soft copper wire braided strip are all low-resistivity conductive materials, whose conductivity is far superior to that of the bimetallic strip 3. They also possess excellent flexibility, allowing them to bend and stretch synchronously with the deformation of the bimetallic strip 3 without rigid constraints.

[0032] like Figure 3-6 As shown, a socket according to this embodiment includes a socket body 6 and a temperature protection switch structure for carrying high current; the first conductive terminal 1 and the second conductive terminal 2 are both disposed on the socket body 6; the socket body 6 is provided with a normally open terminal 7. Specifically, in use, the normally open terminal 7 can be connected to the live wire or the neutral wire of the power supply, and the first conductive terminal 1 is connected to the neutral wire or the live wire of the power supply, thereby enabling the socket body 6 to simultaneously achieve the functions of carrying high current and temperature protection.

[0033] In this embodiment of a socket, the first conductive terminal 1 is provided with a switch input section 11; the normally open terminal 7 is provided with a normally open input section 71; the switch input section 11 and the normally open input section 71 respectively protrude from both sides of the socket body 6. This arrangement facilitates the connection of the normally open terminal 7 to the live or neutral wire of the power supply, and facilitates the connection of the first conductive terminal 1 to the corresponding neutral or live wire of the power supply; furthermore, the switch input section 11 and the normally open input section 71 are respectively located on both sides of the socket body 6, ensuring that the creepage distance meets safety standards and avoiding the risk of arcing in high-voltage scenarios.

[0034] In this embodiment, a socket body 6 is provided with a switch socket interface 61 and a normally open socket interface 62; the second conductive terminal 2 is provided with a switch output part 21 at the switch socket interface 61; and the normally open terminal 7 is provided with a normally open output part 72 at the normally open socket interface 62. Specifically, when the temperature and current are normal, the other end of the bimetallic strip 3 abuts against the second conductive terminal 2, and the two ends of the appliance are respectively inserted into the switch socket 61 and the normally open socket 62 and then contact the switch output part 21 and the normally open output part 72 respectively; at this time, a circuit is formed of "one end of the appliance - normally open output part 72 - normally open terminal 7 - normally open input part 71 - one end of the power supply - the other end of the power supply - switch input part 11 - first conductive terminal 1 - bimetallic strip 3 - second conductive terminal 2 - switch output part 21 - the other end of the appliance", and a circuit is formed of "one end of the appliance - normally open output part 72 - normally open terminal 7 - normally open input part 71 - one end of the power supply - the other end of the power supply - switch input part 11 - first conductive terminal 1 - flexible conductive carrier 4 - second conductive terminal 2 - switch output part 21 - the other end of the appliance".

[0035] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Therefore, any equivalent changes or modifications made to the structure, features and principles described in the claims of this patent application are included within the protection scope of this patent application.

Claims

1. A temperature protection switch structure for carrying large currents, characterized in that: It includes a bimetallic strip (3), a first conductive terminal (1) for fixing the bimetallic strip (3), a second conductive terminal (2) for serving as a switch input or output electrode, and a flexible conductive carrier (4) connected across the two ends of the bimetallic strip (3) to carry a large current. One end of the bimetallic strip (3) is electrically connected to the first conductive terminal (1); the other end of the bimetallic strip (3) is electrically connected to the second conductive terminal (2). The flexible conductive carrier (4) is a highly conductive flexible metal material.

2. The temperature protection switch structure for carrying large current according to claim 1, characterized in that: One end of the bimetallic strip (3) is located between the first conductive terminal (1) and one end of the flexible conductive carrier (4); the other end of the bimetallic strip (3) is located between the second conductive terminal (2) and the other end of the flexible conductive carrier (4).

3. The temperature protection switch structure for carrying large current according to claim 1, characterized in that: A first conductive rivet (51) is provided between one end of the bimetallic sheet (3) and one end of the flexible conductive carrier (4); a second conductive rivet (52) is provided between the other end of the bimetallic sheet (3) and the other end of the flexible conductive carrier (4).

4. The temperature protection switch structure for carrying large current according to claim 1, characterized in that: The second conductive rivet (52) is provided with a conductive head (53); the other end of the bimetallic strip (3) abuts against the second conductive terminal (2) through the conductive head (53) of the second conductive rivet (52).

5. The temperature protection switch structure for carrying large current according to claim 1, characterized in that: The bimetallic sheet (3) has a sheet-like structure; the flexible conductive carrier (4) has a strip-like structure.

6. The temperature protection switch structure for carrying large current according to claim 5, characterized in that: The flexible conductive carrier (4) is a silver-plated soft copper strip, copper foil, or soft copper wire braided strip.

7. A temperature protection socket, characterized in that: It includes a socket body (6) and a temperature protection switch structure for carrying large current as described in any one of claims 1-6; the first conductive terminal (1) and the second conductive terminal (2) are both disposed on the socket body (6); the socket body (6) is provided with a normally open terminal (7).

8. A socket according to claim 7, characterized in that: The first conductive terminal (1) is provided with a switch input section (11); the normally open terminal (7) is provided with a normally open input section (71); the switch input section (11) and the normally open input section (71) protrude from both sides of the socket body (6).

9. A socket according to claim 7, characterized in that: The socket body (6) is provided with a switch socket (61) and a normally open socket (62); the second conductive terminal (2) is provided with a switch output part (21) at the switch socket (61); the normally open terminal (7) is provided with a normally open output part (72) at the normally open socket (62).

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